One-pot chicken orzo

Name: One-pot chicken orzo
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2 adults and 1 baby, with leftovers
Ingredients: 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 1 onion; 1 medium carrot; 1 small zucchini (courgette); 150 g (¾ cup) dried orzo; 750 ml (3 cups) water; 1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil

Tender shredded chicken thighs and soft orzo simmered with onion, grated carrot and zucchini in plain water, with no salt, stock or stock cubes. Orzo is wheat pasta: offer it once your baby has had wheat on its own.

From: 6 months
Time: 50 min
Makes: 2 adults and 1 baby, with leftovers

Contains wheat

Ingredients

4boneless, skinless chicken thighsabout 400 g (14 oz)
1onionfinely chopped
1 mediumcarrot
1 smallzucchini (courgette)
150 g (¾ cup)dried orzomade from wheat; plain orzo with no egg (check the label)
750 ml (3 cups)wateruse water, not ready-made stock or stock cubes, which are usually salty. Have a little extra ready
1 tbspolive or vegetable oil

Steps

1Wash your hands. Scrub the carrot under running water, peel it and grate it finely. Rinse the zucchini, trim the ends and grate it. Rinse and peel the onion, then chop it finely.
2Don't rinse the raw chicken: washing it splashes bacteria around the kitchen. Wash your hands, board and knife in hot, soapy water after handling it.
3Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-low heat and cook the onion and carrot gently for about 10 minutes, stirring, until soft. Add the whole chicken thighs and the water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is very tender and reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. Check with a food thermometer. Don't add salt.
4Lift out the chicken, let it cool a little, then shred it finely with two forks, removing any bone, fat or gristle.
5Stir the orzo and zucchini into the pot. Simmer for a few minutes longer than the orzo package says, about 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often so it doesn't stick and adding a splash of water if it gets dry, until the orzo squashes easily between your fingers and the dish is loose and creamy. Stir the chicken back in and heat until steaming.
6Take your baby's portion out now, before any seasoning goes in, and spread it in a shallow bowl to cool, stirring. Squash a piece of chicken between your thumb and finger: it should fall apart into soft shreds. Check it's only just warm before serving.

How to serve it by age

6 months+

Once your baby has had wheat on its own without a reaction, mash the orzo, finely shredded chicken and vegetables with a little of the cooking liquid into a moist mash that clumps together, and serve it on a pre-loaded spoon or let your baby scoop it with their fingers.

9 months+

Serve moist clumps of orzo with the chicken and vegetables in soft pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), for scooping or pinching.

12 months+

Serve a bowl from the unsalted pot with a spoon, with the chicken shredded or chopped into pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch).

Where US and UK guidance differ on this recipe

United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting

The USDA says to cook all poultry, including thighs, to 165°F (74°C), measured with a food thermometer. The AAP says fresh baby food should be cooked with no added salt or seasoning.

United Kingdom(NHS)Your setting

The NHS doesn't give a temperature. It says to cook poultry all the way through, until the juices run clear and there's no pink or red meat left, and not to add salt, stock cubes or gravy to your baby's food or cooking water. Chicken simmered very tender for babies meets both.

We cover US and UK guidance in detail. Elsewhere, check your national health service's advice too.

If your baby reacts

This recipe contains wheat. Introduce one new allergen at a time, mixed into a food your baby already eats, before serving it in a dish with other new foods. Contact your pediatrician, GP or health visitor if you notice mild signs after eating, such as a few hives or a little vomiting. See signs of a reaction.

Call 911999your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia) now if your baby has trouble breathing, wheezing, can't cough or cry, has lips, mouth, tongue or throat that suddenly swell, or becomes pale, bluish, floppy or unresponsive. Also call if hives come with repeated vomiting.

Leftovers and the rest of the family

Storing it

Cool leftovers quickly in shallow containers and keep them covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or freeze them in small portions for 2 to 3 months. Thaw frozen portions in the fridge and eat them within 24 hours of thawing. Orzo soaks up liquid as it sits, so stir in a splash of water, then reheat only the portion you need, and only once, until steaming hot, 165°F (74°C), and let it cool before serving. Throw away anything left in your baby's bowl. Don't leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F (32°C).

For the grown-ups

Take your baby's portion out first, then season the rest of the pot with salt, black pepper, a squeeze of lemon and grated parmesan for the adults. Stir in a handful of spinach or peas for the adults' bowls too.